Of all the ladies in Matlock's life, we're quite partial to Miss Michelle Thomas. Smart, confident, and very classy, Michelle was an incredible attorney in a league all of her own. She was one of the few who could stand toe to toe with Matlock, though fortunately, the two were rarely at odds with one another.

Nancy Stafford, who played Thomas throughout the show's run, revealed that originally, she had auditioned for the role of Charlene, lawyer and daughter of Ben Matlock.

"I originally auditioned for the role of the daughter, which Linda got," said Stafford during an interview with the Associated Press. "I met with Andy and the casting people, but I wasn't right for the role."

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This was most likely a blessing in disguise, considering that Charlene didn't star in the series beyond the first season, while Michelle had a much longer tenure. Moreover, Stafford said that had she been cast as Charlene, she might have become fed up with playing the character rather quickly.

"The father-daughter relationship has some inherent problems that limit the range of the character," said Stafford. "The show centers on that relationship, and no matter what else happened in the office, they had to relate to each other as father and daughter. That was kind of stifling."

Rather, Michelle Thomas served as an equal to Matlock, and while the two characters may seem close enough to be family, Michelle was never afraid to call Ben out when it mattered.

"I came into the show as a partner to Ben Matlock, somewhat more of a peer," said Stafford. "So the dynamics are easier. He can treat me in a fatherly manner. But I can also go to him as a peer. One of the things about Matlock is that he has to struggle with his chauvinistic feelings. Julie is aware of it. She'll ask him, 'Are you a chauvinist?' It makes it more interesting as he tries to rise above it."